Payroll hiring across state continues into the holiday season

Washington state’s economy added 5,100 jobs in November and the state’s seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate for November was 4.3 percent, according to preliminary statistics provided by the Employment Security Department.

The November unemployment rate was unchanged from the revised October 2018 unemployment rate of 4.3 percent.

“The pace of hiring softened some in November, but the overall job situation remains relatively strong” said Paul Turek, economist for the department.

The Employment Security Department released the preliminary job estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics as part of its Monthly Employment Report.

The department also announced that October’s previously reported unemployment rate of 4.3 was confirmed. However, October’s preliminary estimated gain of 12,400 jobs was revised downward to 7,700 jobs.

The national unemployment rate remained constant at 3.7 percent in November. In November 2017, the national unemployment rate was 4.1 percent.

The state’s labor force in November was 3,795,800 – an increase of 14,300 people from the previous month. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the labor force increased by 4,400 over the same period.

From November 2017 through November 2018, the state’s labor force grew by 39,600 and the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region increased by 25,500.

The labor force is the total number of people, both employed and unemployed, over the age of 16.

Six sectors expand

Private sector employment increased by 6,400 while the public sector decreased by 1,300 jobs in November. This month’s report shows the greatest private job growth occurred in manufacturing up 2,900 jobs, transportation, warehousing and utilities up 2,200 jobs, leisure and hospitality up 1,600 jobs, education & health services up 1,200 jobs and professional and business services up 1,000 jobs. Other services also increased by 400 jobs.

Wholesale trade was the only industry sector that was unchanged.

The industry sector’s that lost the most jobs were retail trade down 1,200 jobs and construction down 1,100 jobs. Financial activities lost 400 jobs while mining & logging and information both lost 100 jobs.

Year-over-year growth in payroll employment

Washington added an estimated 103,500 new jobs from November 2017 through November 2018, not seasonally adjusted. The private sector grew by 3.8 percent, up an estimated 104,400 jobs, while public sector employment decreased by 0.2 percent with a net loss of 900 jobs.

From November 2017 through November 2018, eleven of the thirteen industries added jobs, government lost jobs while mining and logging was unchanged.

The three industry sectors with the largest employment gains year-over-year (not seasonally adjusted) were: